Montana Grizzlies vs. Montana State Bobcats in the 2025 FCS Semifinals

Some rivalries are heated. Some are historic. And then there’s the Brawl of the Wild—a game that doesn’t just split a state, but seems to split families, friendships, workplaces, and whole weekends across Montana.

In 2025, the rivalry hits a level it has never reached before: Montana vs. Montana State in the FCS Playoffs. Not in a regular-season showdown. Not in a conference decider. In the national semifinal, with a trip to the championship game on the line.

This is the 125th all-time meeting between the University of Montana Grizzlies and the Montana State University Bobcats—and it’s the first time the rivalry has ever been staged on the playoff stage. It’s also the first time these two programs have played twice in one season since 1913, adding another layer of rarity to an already iconic matchup.

If you’re looking for a bigger stage, it doesn’t exist.

A Rivalry Steeped in History (and Montana Identity)

The series dates all the way back to November 26, 1897, when Montana earned an 18–6 win in Bozeman. Since then, the rivalry has become a yearly marker of pride across the Treasure State—something that feels less like a game and more like a statewide holiday.

Across 124 previous games, the Grizzlies hold a 74–44–5 edge (with one Montana win later vacated due to NCAA rules). The contest has been known as the “Brawl of the Wild” since 1997, and the winner takes home the Great Divide Trophy—a physical symbol of the emotional divide the game creates every year.

But this season? The stakes are no longer confined to bragging rights or the Big Sky.

This is about a national title path.

The First Round Went to the Bobcats Now Comes the Sequel

Just a month ago, on November 22, 2025, No. 3 Montana State edged No. 2 Montana 31–28 in Missoula in a game that felt like it belonged in the postseason.

It was physical. Fast. Emotional. The type of game where momentum swings feel louder than the crowd.

That win did more than deliver bragging rights—it secured the Big Sky Conference title for Montana State and likely locked them into their No. 2 seed. It also ensured that if Montana wanted revenge, it wouldn’t be symbolic.

It would have to be earned the hard way.

Now the rematch arrives with everything amplified: pressure, intensity, and consequences.

What’s on the Line: Nashville and the FCS National Championship

Saturday’s semifinal determines who advances to the FCS National Championship Game on January 5, 2026, at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

Both programs know what a title opportunity means—and both have real history on that stage.

Montana Grizzlies

• National Champions: 2001
• Runner-up finishes: 2008, 2009

Montana State Bobcats

• National Champions: 1956, 1976, 1984
• Runner-up finish: 2024 (lost to North Dakota State)

For the Griz, a win is revenge and a return to the final.
For the Cats, a win is a chance to finish the job after falling short last season.

Either way, one fanbase walks into winter with hope. The other walks into winter with regret—and that’s what rivalries like this do.

Photo Credit: Abbie Mikkelson 

The Path to the Semifinals: Two Teams Playing Their Best Football

Both teams looked every bit like title contenders in the quarterfinals—and they got there in very different ways.

Montana State: Balanced, Physical, and Built to Control a Game

The Bobcats punched their ticket by beating Stephen F. Austin 44–28—and the most impressive part might be who they did it against.

Stephen F. Austin brought one of the highest-rated defenses in the FCS, and Montana State still produced an offensive performance that was equal parts efficient and punishing—even while committing 12 penalties for over 100 yards.

Despite the self-inflicted setbacks, Montana State’s offense stayed dominant:

• 227 rushing yards
• 246 passing yards
• 20 completions
• 9.5 yards per pass
• 42 rushing attempts at 5.4 yards per carry
• 35 minutes of time of possession (about 10 minutes more than SFA)

That’s not just production—that’s control. That’s an offense dictating pace, limiting opponent chances, and making every drive feel like it matters.

And it wasn’t only the offense.

Defensively, the Bobcats absorbed an aggressive, tempo-heavy approach and responded with impact plays:

• 3 sacks from Kenneth Eiden IV
• 8 tackles from strong safety Caden Dowler
• 1 interception from Dowler (his 6th in 5 games)
• Forced turnovers: two SFA fumbles lost
• Held SFA to 102 rushing yards and 242 passing yards

Those turnovers mattered in the simplest way possible: short fields and points. The Bobcats turned those extra possessions into scoring opportunities—14 points’ worth of difference in a game where momentum could have shifted.

With Justin Lampson at QB and offensive coordinator Pete Sterbick steering a balanced attack, Montana State arrives in the semifinal playing the kind of football that travels: run game, efficiency, possession, and pressure.
Photo Credit: Abbie Mikkelson 

Montana: Explosive and Relentless

Montana’s quarterfinal was a statement of its own—a 52–22 route of South Dakota, powered by standout performances including Michael Wortham.

That score line tells you what you need to know: this is not a Grizzly team scraping by. This is a team that can turn a close game into a runaway if you give them openings.

And in a rivalry game, openings don’t come from “bad luck.” They come from one team losing the details.

The Hidden Battle: Field Position, Special Teams, and Time

In the regular-season matchup, the Grizzlies consistently benefited from strong field position, aided by returns:

• 148 total return yards for Montana
• Punt returns were especially impactful, with Ty Morrison generating prime field position, including 92 total punt return yards

That short-field advantage helped Montana capitalize—even when drives didn’t start in “normal” territory.

Meanwhile, Montana State still managed to operate efficiently even with more average starting field position, putting together multi-play drives and controlling time of possession (31 minutes in the earlier game).

So what does that mean for the semifinal?

It means this likely won’t be decided only by who throws better or who runs harder. It could come down to the least glamorous (and most decisive) parts of playoff football:

• Starting field position
• Hidden yards on returns
• Penalty discipline
• Clock control
• Turnovers

In a rivalry game where both teams know each other intimately, the “surprise factor” disappears. Execution becomes everything.
Photo Credit: Abbie Mikkelson 

The Trenches: Where This Game Will Actually Be Won

There are two sayings that always show up in playoff football for a reason:

1. The game is won in the trenches.
2. Defense wins games.

That’s not cliché in this matchup—it’s the blueprint.

For Montana State, the formula is clear: control the ground game and pressure the Griz quarterback into fast decisions.

Defenders like Paul Brott, Kenneth Eiden IV, and Zac Crews will be central to that plan—especially if the Bobcats can force quick throws, disrupt timing, and create mistake opportunities.

On the other side, Montana State’s offensive line—anchored by names like JT Reed and Titan Fleischman—has to be more than solid. They have to be dominant enough to let the run game establish rhythm and keep the offense ahead of the chains.

If Adam Jones and Julius Davis get going early, Montana State becomes very difficult to play against because they can dictate pace and keep Montana’s playmakers standing on the sideline.

And if special teams tackles cleanly and avoids breakdowns? The Bobcats can keep control of the “hidden game” too.
Photo Credit: Abbie Mikkelson 

Where and When to Watch

Date/Time: Saturday, December 20, 2025 — 2:00 p.m. MT (4:00 p.m. ET)
Location: Bobcat Stadium, Bozeman, Montana (Elevation: ~4,940 feet)
TV: ABC
Streaming: ESPN app or any platform carrying ABC

And yes—expect Bobcat Stadium to be packed and loud. Late in games, that altitude and crowd energy can start to feel heavier, especially if the home team is leaning on the run and forcing the opponent to chase.

Final Word: This Isn’t Just a Rivalry Game Anymore

The Brawl of the Wild has always been about pride. Always been about legacy. Always been about the kind of win you talk about for years.

But this time, it’s also about history in a new way.

A rivalry born in 1897 now meets the modern playoff era with everything on the table: a national title berth, a rematch with real consequences, and a state watching every snap like it matters (because it does).

The first chapter went to Montana State.

Now Montana gets its chance to write a response—on the biggest stage the rivalry has ever seen.